Patent Application
20070272300
After the cold-rolled process, the diameter of the actuator rod 100 may be further reduced to a desired diameter by, for example, machining, polishing or other surface treatment. Alternatively or in addition, the actuator rod 100 may be plated with a substance, such as metal, to form an actuator rod 100 with a corrosive resistant surface and a relatively smooth surface conducive to forming a seal with desired fire hydrant components, with or without using a sleeve. Plating the actuator rod with a metal, such as nickel or zinc alloys, may be accomplished by a number of methods. One example is an electroless (also known as chemical or autocatalytic) method in which the metal to be plated, for example nickel alloy, is suspended in a solution and deposited onto the cold-rolled finish steel, due to a chemical reaction, when the cold-rolled finish steel is introduced into the solution. In some embodiments of the present invention, the coatings may include a nickel-phosphorus solution, nickel-boron solution, or a poly-alloy solution. For example, a solution of nickel-phosphorus may be utilized having a 3 to 13 percent phosphorus composition by weight in a solution of sodium hypophosphite and water at a temperature of 85 to 95 degrees Celsius. In preferred embodiments of the present invention a nickel-phosphorus solution having 9 to 12 percent composition by weight of phosphorus is used.
When the cold-rolled finish steel is introduced into the solution, a chemical reaction occurs forming a relatively uniform coating of plating and a surface with a relatively smooth finish. Preferably, the entire steel rod is introduced into the solution. In some embodiments of the present invention, a layer of nickel alloy is plated to the steel with a thickness of between 0.0005 to 0.0007 inches. After the metal is plated onto the cold-rolled finish steel, the surface preferably has a surface roughness with an RMS value of less than 65 micro-inches, using the standard, ASME B46.1-2002, “Surface Texture, Surface Roughness, Waviness and Lay,” thereby providing an actuator rod having a relatively smooth, corrosive resistant surface with a high lubricity characteristic.
The actuator rod 100 may then be used to form a seal with an O-ring and a desired fire hydrant component without using a sleeve. As illustrated in
In one embodiment of the present invention, the actuator rod 206 may be installed by inserting a first end of the actuator rod 206 through a first O-ring 210. The first end of the actuator rod 206 may be coupled to the bottom end 203 of cap structure 202 and the second end of the actuator rod 206 may be coupled to a first end 207 of breakaway structure 204. The first end of actuator rod 206, in cooperation with the O-ring 210 and cap structure 202, preferably forms a seal such that solids or fluids are not allowed to reach the inner structure of cap structure 202.
Similarly, the second end of the actuator rod 208 may be coupled to the valve 205 and the first end of actuator rod 208 may be coupled to a second end 209 of breakaway structure 204. In some embodiments, the second end of actuator rod 208, in cooperation with valve 205, may form a seal without using a sleeve, such that solids or fluids are not allowed to reach the inner structure of valve 205.
The actuator rods 206, 208 are preferably coupled or connected, directly or indirectly, such that actuator rod 208 rotates when actuator rod 206 rotates. The operating nut 201 of cap structure 202 may be coupled or connected to the actuator rod 206, such that actuator rod 206 rotates when the operating nut 201 is rotated. In addition, the valve 205 may be coupled or connected to one end of actuator rod 208, such that the valve is opened and closed depending on the direction of rotation by the actuator rod 208. For example, the operating nut 201 may be rotated, such as by a wrench or other device, thereby causing the actuator rod 206 to rotate. The actuator rod 208 also rotates and the valve 205 may be opened and closed.
In some embodiments of the present invention, one or more ends of the actuator rods 206, 208 may be threaded 218, 220 to couple the rod with the desired hydrant component. The actuator rods 206, 208 may cooperate with hydrant components, such as the cap structure 202 and/or a secondary valve in the hydrant to prevent backflow (not shown), to form a seal and/or allow hydrant components to slide along the surface of the actuator rods 206, 208.
In some embodiments of the present invention, the actuator rods 206, 208 may be coupled to hydrant components without sleeves to form a seal at hydrant component 202 or other moving hydrant components such as a secondary valve to prevent backflow.
In some embodiments of the present invention, one actuator rod may be coupled to the cap structure 202, to form a seal, without using sleeves, at hydrant component 202 or other moving hydrant components such as a secondary valve to prevent backflow.
The foregoing description of embodiments of the invention has been presented only for the purpose of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the invention and their practical application so as to enable others skilled in the art to utilize the invention and various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.
